Prestianni breaks silence after rough treatment from Flamengo players

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Coluna do Fla

·12 Juli 2026

Prestianni breaks silence after rough treatment from Flamengo players

Flamengo defeated Gianluca Prestianni’s Benfica (POR) 2-1

The only friendly thing about Saturday’s (11) match between Flamengo and Benfica (POR) was the name, because on the field the players took the commitment seriously. After all, the Rubro-Negro players went after Gianluca Prestianni, who took the tough marking as a form of provocation.

Not responding to provocation is also a sign of character. Not for lack of strength, but because you learn that some arguments are simply meant to make a person lose their composure, dignity, and self-respect. Elegance also lies in not lowering yourself to any level,” said the Benfica forward in an Instagram post.

Why was Prestianni marked so tightly?

Prestianni started on the bench at the Algarve Stadium. The Argentine’s absence kept things calm on the field. However, when the forward came on, Emerson Royal, Erick Pulgar, and Johnny dealt with him more harshly.

Video OneFootball

The situation on the field spread to the bench, which led to a heated argument between the coaches. Then, Leonardo Jardim confirmed that Prestianni’s arrival on the pitch affected the emotions of the Rubro-Negro players.

The Argentine has been accused of racism for allegedly calling Vini Jr., who came through at Flamengo, a monkey. The incident took place in the 2025/26 Champions League after the Real Madrid (ESP) forward danced while celebrating a goal against Benfica.

Did Prestianni receive punishment?

In addition to the hard marking, the accused received a six-match suspension. To avoid similar situations, FIFA said there will be sanctions for any player who covers their mouth while speaking during an official football match.

Did Flamengo’s players confirm the reason for the tight marking?

According to Samuel Lino and Emerson Royal, the fact that Vinicius Júnior came through at Flamengo was not extra motivation to mark Prestianni. Therefore, the Rubro-Negro players dismissed the idea of retroactive revenge against the Argentine.

What is the author’s opinion on Prestianni’s situation?

Flamengo’s players played it down, but everyone knows it does have to do with the alleged racism episode. This whole situation would have been avoided if UEFA had handed down a serious punishment,” said João Vítor Reis of Coluna do Fla, who added: Racism is a crime. So the investigations should be thorough in order to determine whether or not there was verbal abuse against Vini Jr. As it stands, Prestianni got away unpunished, and that angers anyone with even a minimal sense of justice,” he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.